URSULA SELIG TELLING HER STORY

My name is Ursula Korn Selig, I was born in Germany and my mother and I left Berlin in 1935. We went to Italy. I was 6 years old. I grew up in Alassio on the Italia Riviera where my family owned a hotel. In 1938 when Mussolini signed the friendship pact with Hitler, Italy enacted the racial laws and Jewish children could no longer go to school. In 1939, when the war broke out, we were arrested, handcuffed and put on a train to Perugia (Umbria) where my mother, my aunt, my cousin were in prison for a week. We were then interned in a few places and ended up in Citta di Castello, where my rescue story began.

In 1941, I went to the local seminary to see the Rector. His name, Don Bemamino Galieo, now Monsignor, so my friendship and love for this priest began. In 1943, when Italy signed a separate peace treaty with the Allies and Italy was occupied by the German, we were arrested and taken to Gestapo Headquarters in Perugia. As the prison was full, we were returned to Citta di Castello and the Monsignor and the Bishop planned our escape. A few days later, we were hidden up in the mountains in a Salesian retreat the Monsignor and nine young priests took off their coats and walked us up there.

We were hidden in many places and always by this great humanitarian. He is now 95 years old, a writer and scholar. Our friendship is forever. I visit him quite often. We speak on the phone every week and I honored him at Yad Vashem, ADL honored him here in New York in 1993 at a gala at the Hilton and also in Washington.